Celebrity Dresses: How tight is too tight?

By Hindustan Times

New Delhi, March 3 -- It's perhaps the worst fashion faux pas. Veteran actor Joan Collins, 77, felt so breathless in her tight dress at the Oscars after-party that she had to be rushed to the hospital straight from the celebrations. The actor, who almost passed out at the star-studded ceremony, blamed her stiff dress for the mishap.

There are rumours that those who attended the party felt that the actor looked as if she had squeezed herself in a dress that was two sizes small. However, Collins is not alone when it comes to tight-dress disasters. Bollywood divas have also been in a similar spot. (see box)

Experts reason that innerwear is very important when it comes to dressing comfortably. "To look thin, celebs wear body shapers that suck the stomach in and restrict breathing, making you feel dizzy," says designer Rina Dhaka. "At least two trials of the dress are very essential before any big event, but many celebs tend to skip it," adds Rajat Tangri, Bollywood stylist. Designer Anupama Dayal says,"Any dress that is even one inch tight or loose can be a disaster on the red carpet. At such important events, it's a bad idea to wear a dress that is uncomfortable or restricts your movements."

Designer Chandrani Singh Flora adds, "The thumb rule for wearing any dress on important functions is to try it on beforehand, and wear it for at least half an hour before that big day. If it is a stretch outfit, it is still okay, but in fabrics like heavy silk, you need to have at least an inch of breathing space. Designer Falguni Peacock cautions against corset dresses: "Go for extremely tight dresses only if you are ready to risk fainting and feeling dizzy throughout the evening. The corset dress can be the worst culprit, as it affects the breathing process. Also, you should never wear a dress that is more than half a size smaller than yours.